| Pelodiscus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Pelodiscus sinensis, Chinese softshell turtle | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Testudines |
| Suborder: | Cryptodira |
| Family: | Trionychidae |
| Subfamily: | Trionychinae |
| Genus: | Pelodiscus Fitzinger, 1835 [2] |
| Species | |
See text | |
Pelodiscus is a genus of turtles in the family Trionychidae, the softshells. [2] Based on genetic and morphological analysis there are seven valid species. [3] They are native to Eastern Asia, ranging from the Amur region, south through China and Korea, as far south as Vietnam. [4] Populations in Japan are thought to likely originate from historic human introductions. [3]
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Phylogenetic studies have recovered a high diversity of Pelodiscus genotypes in China, some of which may correspond to distinct species. However, the millennia-old practice of farming Pelodiscus for consumption, especially in large-scale turtle farms since the late 20th century, is thought to threaten these lineages due to hybridization with farmed individuals. [5]
